CHRIST CAME FOR YOU!
Regardless of your race, ethnicity, culture, or whatever, Christ died for you.
Christ died for all people. But, in the end, to be saved when he returns to earth, there is something that remains.
What is it?
This is the end of our look at God’s love for us and his plan (his mission) to bridge the gap between us and him. But, though it’s the end of this lesson, let it be a new beginning for you.
God’s mission is to bring us back into a loving relationship with him. He wants us to become His disciples and members of his family.
Thus, He calls for us to respond to His love.
But our relationship with Him does not end with His call, for his call requires action from the one being called.
He calls for us today to be light in the darkness until the end of this earth’s history and our new beginning in our heavenly home when Christ returns. How can this lesson be not an ending but a new beginning for you?
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Sabbath School Daily by Dr. Brenda Ware Davis
Let Us Inviting God’s Presence:
Holy Father, At the end of this earth’s history, when you return, we want to be a part of your new beginning. Help us do what is necessary to live eternally in your new world. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
God’s Mission, My Mission
(Lesson 13)
The End of God’s Mission
Part 4: The Final Crisis
Jesus came to this world born as a baby, lived among humans, died on the cross, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven.
Before Jesus went back to heaven, He gave His disciples, that is, His followers, an important command. That command is found in Matthew 28:19-20
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Matthew 28:19, 20).
This command is called the Great Commission.
You could say the Great Commission, coupled with The Three Angels’ Messages of Revelation 14:6-12 discussed in our previous video, “The End of God’s Mission Lesson 1-3,” with its similar call in Revelation 14:6 to go to “every nation, tribe, tongue, and people,” is in many ways “present truth,” as expressed in 2 Peter 1:12.
Present Truth is Bible truth most applicable to the times.
But the main point here is that God commissioned the present truth found in Revelation 14:6-12 the everlasting gospel, the everlasting good news about Jesus, to go to everyone, every nation, tribe, tongue, and people.
To God, everyone matters! Read the following scriptures to see why everyone matters: 1 John 4:8; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:4; and Genesis 12:3
II Peter 3:9
9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
I Timothy 2:4
4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.m(Split)
Genesis 12:3
3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Split)
What Jesus did on this earth was for everyone. Everyone matters. Jesus loves all humanity. No one is excluded.
Some Bible scholars maintain the idea that Jesus died only for a special group of predestined individuals.
But contrary to this thought, the Bible tells us that Jesus died for all people.
If you are a human being, Jesus died for you. Therefore, the gospel of Jesus is for all people.
It says in the book Our High Calling: The gospel of Christ is to reach all classes, all nations, all tongues and people. The influence of the gospel is to unite in one great brotherhood. We have only one Model that we are to imitate in character building, and then we all shall have Christ’s mold; we shall be in perfect harmony; nationalities will blend in Jesus Christ, having the same mind, and the same judgment, speaking the same things, and with one mouth glorifying God. This is the work the world’s Redeemer is to do for us. If we accept the truth as it is in Jesus, national prejudices and jealousies will be broken down, and the Spirit of truth will blend hearts in one. We will love as brethren; we will esteem others better than ourselves; we will be kind and courteous, meek and lowly, easy to be entreated; full of mercy and good fruits.—Our High Calling, p. 171.
A union with Jesus rejects war and poverty.
Therefore, what remains is one question. Do you accept or reject what Jesus did for you?
The point is when Jesus comes back, there will only be two groups of people alive on the earth:
- people who submit to the authority of Satan through religious and political institutions as expressed in Revelation 13 and 17
- people who fully submit to Jesus’s authority and keep “the commandments of God” as expressed in Revelation 14:12.
When Jesus returns, there will be no excuse, for since the beginning of human history, as expressed in Romans 1:18-21, God has given us humans sufficient evidence of who He is, and He has given us proof of His love.
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
20 For since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. (Romans 1:18-21)
So, God will judge everyone from ages past how we humans cooperated with Him and lived our lives.
Yet, as a loving God, He will not judge us for what we didn’t understand or didn’t know about Him, according to Romans 2:11–16.
11 For there is no partiality with God.
12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law
13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified;
14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves,
15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves, their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)
16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel. (Romans 2:11-16)
Look around you! In these times, evidently the end times, people are dividing more and more into two camps, as expressed previously: those who serve God and those who serve Satan.
The time is coming soon in which freedom of conscience and freedom of choice will not be respected.
Soon, people will not have the freedom to believe what they want to believe.
People will be pressured to align with Satan’s camp.
Thus, as we see the condition of our world today, there is no debate.
We need to share the Good News about Jesus; it is urgent that the gospel be proclaimed to everyone so that Satan’s evil plans are exposed.
And so that, in contrast to Satan, God’s love and mercy are revealed.
That’s what the Three Angels’ Messages of Revelation 14:6-12 and our mission are all about.
Jesus died for you, personally. There is nothing that you have ever done that He can’t forgive.
With His death, He paid the penalty for your sins.
But the choice to live is up to you. Which camp do you choose?
Join His camp, become His disciple, be His follower, proclaim His message, and carry out His mission.
Satan and all the members of his camp will be destroyed.
But those who accept Jesus will experience a change in character.
How can we be sure that we are a part of that transformation, and how can we determine the success of our work?
Take the time to read the following scriptures: 2 Corinthians 11:2; Isaiah 30:21; John 10:27; John 16:12, 13; 2 Thessalonians 2:9–11; Hebrews 3:12, 13; 1 John 1:8; 1 John 1:9; Revelation 7:14; and Revelation 19:8, then continue to Part 5 of this video, Success in Mission
God’s Mission, My Mission
(Lesson 13)
The End of God’s Mission
Part 5: Success in Mission
What does success mean in terms of God’s Great Commission?
Is it the number of people baptized because of your work?
Is it found in the size of the church building?
Or is it determined by the growth rate of the church?
Could it be that success involves sharing the Good News about Jesus to every tongue and people?
As a matter of fact, sharing the gospel can be done with great speed because of such things as radio, television, and the internet.
Although all of the things above are good, and we should strive to do them, we are not responsible for the success of God’s mission.
God is, he is responsible for the outcome.
Observe what Paul wrote to the church in Corinth. He says in 1 Corinthians 3:6: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6, NKJV).
In other words, our job is to do the work.
Our focus is on the process, not the results.
We must trust that God will bless our efforts.
He is the One in charge of the results of our efforts.
We understand now that God wants to save lost people in every people group on earth.
He wants them to be loyal followers of Jesus.
He wants them to be His disciples.
He wants us to work together with Him in His work to save those who are willing to accept Jesus as their savior.
If you have not already done so, Read the following scriptures. Notice what happens in the lives of those who become followers of Jesus?
2 Corinthians 11:2; Isaiah 30:21; John 10:27; John 16:12, 13; 2 Thessalonians 2:9–11; Hebrews 3:12, 13; 1 John 1:8; 1 John 1:9; Revelation 7:14; and Revelation 19:8 (Split)
They experience a transformation. The followers of Jesus, that is, Jesus’s disciple characters, are changed. Here are seven characteristics of discipleship transformation.
- Jesus’ followers are loyal; they seek to live pure lives, like a pure bride waiting to be married to her fiancé.
- The Disciples of Jesus obey the voice of the Holy Spirit and follow His guidance, even as it relates to His call to share the everlasting good news. As a matter of fact, Isaiah 30:21 tells us that The Spirit teaches Jesus followers to work with God’s plan, it says: 21 Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left. (Isaiah 30:21)
- The Followers of Jesus are not deceptive. They don’t practice lying or pretending to be righteous. They seek not to be fake Christians. Nor do they feel morally superior to others.
- The Bible is the foundation of their faith; therefore, they do not doubt the scriptures, nor are they led astray by debilitating thoughts, false teachings, or immorality.
- They recognize that they are imperfect beings, requiring God’s cleansing grace and mercy, therefore
- Jesus’ disciples keep the commandments of God. Yet, they understand they aren’t perfect. They know they need God’s mercy and forgiveness.
- Recognizing their imperfections, the disciples of Christ are also open to correction and instruction from fellow believers.
As His disciples, it is Jesus’ desire “to efface the image of the earthly from the minds of His followers, and to impress upon them the image of the heavenly, that they may become one with Himself, reflecting His character, and showing forth the praises of Him who hath called them out of darkness into His marvelous light. . . . Reflecting Christ, p. 303.
Thus, as disciples of Christ, we strive to be like him in every aspect of our lives, both in our personal and professional lives. (Split)
You may wonder what life will be like after Jesus returns: Read Revelation 21:1–4 and Revelation 21:22–22:5, then continue to the next segment of this video, Part 6, Mission Complete
God’s Mission, My Mission
(Lesson 13)
The End of God’s Mission
Part 6: Mission Complete
The new earth will be perfect and beautiful! Death and sin will be gone.
Satan and sin will be destroyed. We will meet our loving Savior and see our loved ones again.
The new earth will be filled with people from every nation, tongue and people who lived on the earth.
Attempting to describe the city, the book My Life Today says:
The glorious city of God has twelve gates, set with pearls most glorious. It also has twelve foundations of various colors. The streets of the city are of pure gold. In this city is the throne of God, and a pure, beautiful river proceeding out of it, as clear as crystal. Its sparkling purity and beauty make glad the city of God. The saints will drink freely of the healing waters of the river of life. (Split)
All faces will reflect the image of their Redeemer. There will then be no anxious, troubled countenances, but all will be bright, and smiling in spotless purity. The angels will be there, also the resurrected saints with the martyrs, and the best of all, and what will cause us the most joy, our lovely Saviour, who suffered and died that we might enjoy that happiness and freedom, will be there.—His glorious face will shine brighter than the sun, and light up the beautiful city and reflect glory all around.—My Life Today, p. 357.
Christ tells us in Matthew 24:14 that His kingdom shall be ushered in.
He does not say that all the world will be converted, but that “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come” (Matthew 24:14).
By giving the gospel to the world, it is in our power to hasten the coming of the day of God. . . .
Christ is coming with clouds and with great glory. A multitude of shining angels will attend Him. He will come to raise the dead and to change the living saints from glory to glory. He will come to honor those who have loved Him, and kept His commandments and to take them to Himself. He has not forgotten them nor His promise. . . . (Heaven, pp. 161, 162)
Here is the challenge
Challenge #1: What are you doing to speed up Jesus coming?
Are you filling the hearts of people with hope?
Are you sharing with them the Good News about Jesus?
Pray that Jesus will help you share the promise of the new heaven and the new earth with people on your daily prayer list. (Split)
For Those up to a greater challenge
Challenge #2: Some of those you have been praying for and working with may be ready to accept Jesus.
Invite them to accept Jesus and become members of God’s family. Perhaps even invite them to join you in prayer and worship.
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Share your results in the comment section below.
Thank you for watching this series of videos God’s Mission, My Mission. Our next series will be on the Book of Psalms. To be notified when my next video comes out, Subscribe to my YouTube Channel, Sabbath School Daily, by Dr. Brenda Ware Davis.
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